Pornography, Indian style, is alive and flourishing in an increasing number of cities. The past few months have witnessed a sudden proliferation of pornographic literature in English and other regional languages. What triggered off the boom in pornography? Are the country's obscenity laws archaic in the contemporary context? Who are the people behind the outbreak of commercialised smut?

The press, inhibited by the Puritan neurosis that prevails in Indian
society, and suppressed ruthlessly for 18 months during the Emergency,
has only of late shed its earlier inhibitions and exhibited a new
aggressiveness, aided by a consumer society willing to buy anything
sensational.

"There are normally half-a-dozen people suing me on various charges of
obscenity but it's just another way of making money: sooner or later,
they are perfectly willing to trade in their moral indignation for Rs
2,000-3,000. Besides, India has never rejected sex, so why should I?"

Aswini Pal, 41, plays the harmonium with an opera troupe at Chitpore, adjoining Calcutta's famed red-light district of Sonagachi. Pal is also one of India's most prolific porn writers, having churned out as many as 18 full-length pornographic novels to date.

It is a practice with classy magazines everywhere - the German magazines, for instance, like Stem, Quick, Bunte. I once asked their editors myself why they ran nudes and they said,
well there's no particular excuse, but a nude reproduces well in colour, and you know, it sells.

Pornography is a fairly ancient art in India. According to Michael Edwards, author of the book Bound to Exile: A Victorian in India, obscene pictures were in circulation in India as early as 1860 and were mostly imported from America.

Whether foot-tapping to its liberal dosage of bubble-gum pop music or
absorbing its erudite political commentaries, several lakh Indians are
hooked on the All-Asia service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation - popularly known as Radio Ceylon.

As a freelance editor of a number of publications, I find that in
999 out of a 1000 cases 'especially' is used, 'specially' is intended
and make that change. But in English-language publications in general
all over the world, 'especially' seems to find favour for no 'especial'
reason I can think of.

Has Morarji Desai's Janata Party Government restored the freedom of the press usurped by Mrs Indira Gandhi during her Emergency? No, says the famous Blitz columnist Khawja Ahmed Abbas in his book Janata in a Jam?

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, former president and prime minister of Pakistan, now languishing in a jail awaiting death sentence, has been offered a $ 10,000 (Rs 82,000) guest professorship by the students of the Stanford University in California, USA.

However, it is Charan Singh and not Morarji Desai who is apparently
calling the shots in the wake of the growing unity move in the party
following the defeat of its nominee in the Chikmagalur by-election. Jan
Sangh had been supporting Morarji Desai on the issue of Charan Singh's
dismissal but it is now having second thoughts and asking for its pound
of flesh.

It was apparent even before Chikmagalur that the bulls, having bitten more than they could chew, were preparing to take a back seat, waiting for the political storm to blow over. But political storms, like calamities and bad Hindi pictures, do not come singly.

The World Management Congress, scheduled to be held in India early next month, has for its theme "Management Perspectives for Economic Growth and Human Welfare". The keynote address will be given by world-renowned author on management, Peter Drucker. Leading economist Jay Dubashi analyses the objectives of the Congress and the current traumas that beset Indian Managers.

At the Bombay Port, already suffering from congestion, the strike was
complete. Instead of the familiar whining and creaking sounds of cranes, the loud thuds of cargo packages and the babble of human chatter, on
November 17 there was a death like silence.

The annual salary of an IAS secretary is Rs 42,000; the annual wage of a cotton mill worker in Bombay is around Rs 5,500; and the gross salary
and perks of a managing director of a Birla or Tata company can go as
high as Rs 2,23,000 per year, or more than five times the salary of the
IAS secretary and 40 times that of the textile worker.

The recrudescence of communal violence, the general erosion of central
authority, the growth of explosive caste tensions in North India and the incessant infighting at the highest level have combined to create a
sense of disillusionment with the Janata Party that is turning into
anger.

The Children of God spell the name of their new messiah as Godhafi -
'one of God's chosen ones'. He is described as the only leader in the
world who is talking in the name of God as he has been chosen by God to
be a world leader.

India Today's previous cover story on Chikmagalur had carried a report on the Ujjire police firing that contradicted the official version given out by the state Government. In the report, Jehangir Gazdar, one of the newsmen injured in the police action, had stated that he had photographic evidence that refuted the official version. India Today is now in a position to publish the photographs which back up Gazdar's claim.

Film-maker Patwardhan has done it again. Fast on the heels of Waves of Revolution, his documentary on the JP movement in Bihar that went underground during the Emergency, comes the 40 minute film Prisoners of Conscience.

Over the past 20 months, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, L.K. Advani has initiated a number of legislative and administrative measures to enhance freedom of the press in India. He has, however, come under fire from the Janata Party for failing to project them in a more favourable light. A candid interview with the Minister.

The West Indians even without their Packerites, are a strong
combination. Besides captain Kalicharran, they have promising young
batsmen like Greenidge, Gomes and Williams. Larry Gomes, 25, in his
short five Test career has already hit two centuries - both against
Australia.

Despite the unusually hostile reception Mrs Gandhi faced on her recent visit to Britain, politically it was undoubtedly a tour deforce. Both the Indian and British media gave her visit exhaustive coverage, but the behind-the-scenes stories were obscured by the stone throwing and slogan-shouting demonstrations that disrupted her meetings. Where did she go shopping and what did she buy? Who paid her hotel bills? Where was Sonia Gandhi during the turmoil in London?

Aligarh has always had the questionable distinction of being one of the major trouble-spots for communal disharmony. The latest outbreak of violence which erupted earlier this month, however, is undoubtedly of ominous significance. What sparked off the riots? Was it politically motivated, and if so, by whom? Was the RSS really involved?

It was festival time at Ujjain, the sacred town bursting at its seams with an eternal stream of pilgrims. Villagers from miles around trooped to the banks of the holy Shipra for the Kartik Poornima mela. Sixteen kilometres away at the Kaliadeh Palace-which had taken on its temporary nomenclature Warsi Nagar not far from the high-walled Ujjain Jail-the Janata Party held its first national camp in its idyllic grounds surrounded by about 50 freshwater pools.

The Gotmar, a colourful if dangerous tradition of mock battle
between rival villages had been on the wane in recent times. But it was
revived this year by the Gram Panchayat and presided over by the State
Minister for Local Government, Rajendra Dharkar.

More than 2,000 families in the Jammu and Kashmir state, it is said, have become rich by illegal trading in charas. The police, however, claims that most local residents have given up the "old trade" because of the stricter control and vigilance by the state authorities.

Mrs Gandhi sat there like a cat among pigeons. Members could not take their eyes off her, and yet half of them wished she would go away. But instead of disappearing she plunged the Janata Party into a cruel dilemma: whether to punish her and be damned, or not to punish her and still be damned.

The Petroleum Ministry officials apprehend a petroleum crisis by early
January due to the cutback in oil production in riot torn Iran. India
may have to turn to Iraq for supplies, even though it may be costlier.

The Chikmagalur fall-out has begun to be felt. The Congress(S) appears to be its first victim. Habituated to being led, its leaders never felt at ease after Mrs Gandhi walked out of the party last December to float her own Congress(I).

Sanjay Gandhi, errant son of the former prime minister has a remarkable talent for conjuring up militant support at the drop of a sterilization scalpel. He also displays a remarkable allergy to law courts.

Beginning with a first prize from the Punjab Arts Society, Lahore, when
he was 20, Bhagat has collected innumerable awards. Recently he has been honoured with the nation's most prestigious arts award - fellowship of
the Lalit Kala Akademi.

Saturday Night Fever represents the best and worst aspects of the commercial American film. The best is embodied in its lead player John Travolta, who expresses stylised sensuality through the free-form dance sequences. His body moves and greases up the floor he walks on.

Laxma Goud, who lives under a tamarind tree in Hyderabad, recently exhibited his work at the gallery Art Heritage in New Delhi. His pencil is as sharp as ever, his etching tool marvellously fine. He grew the stubble on his portraits hair by hair.